Bottle-washer.



R. J. PFEIPER. BOTTLE WASHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

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By ATTORNEYS WITNESSES (ii J ANDREW a cnumu c0. FHOTO-LI'IHOGWAPNEWS.WASHINGXOH, n.c

R. J. PPBIFER.

BOTTLE WASHER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 5, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR fZzmaZd [.Ffejfen WITNESSES ATTORNEYS R. J. PPBI FBR. BOTTLE WASHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1909.

950,302., Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

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I? QO Q WITNESSES INVENTOR Q JzAJJ m' fiwmia? fffejfen ATTORNEYS R. J. PPEIFER.

BOTTLE WASHER. APPLICATION FILED APB.5,'1909.

Patented Feb.22,1910.

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WITNESSES ATTORNEYS R. J. PFEIPER.

BOTTLE WASHER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

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RONALD J. PFEIFER, OF CALLIGOON, NEW YORK.

BOTTLE-WASHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Application filed April 5, 1909. Serial No. 487,996.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1,.RONALD J. PFEIFER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Callicoon, in the county of Sullivan and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Bottle-VVasher, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates'to bottle washers and fillers, and the object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of simple const-ruction, in which a number of bottles can be rapidly washed and refilled.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed according to my invention, the middle portion of the View being broken away; Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the left end of the machine; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section through the machine passing in a front and rear direction and particularly illustrating the means for holding and carrying the bottles; Fig. 4 is a plan of the tray which holds the bottles, the middle portion of this view being broken away; Fig. 5 is a plan showing the construction of the frames which hold the tray carrying the bottles; Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and illustrating the arrangement by means of which the bottles are tilted after they are washed, so as to enable them to drain; Fig. 7 is a side view of the middle portion of the tilting frame which carries the bottles and illustrating one of the trannions or pivots therefor; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken through one end of the machine and illustrating the mechanism for raising and lowering the frames which carry the bottles; Fig. 9 is a plan showing a portion of the water tank, and illustrating the means for operating the valves through which the bottles will be filled with wash water; Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section taken through the bottom of the water tank and further illustrating the valves; Fig. 11 is a front elevation of one of the bottle holders; Fig. 12 is a plan of a bottle holder; Fig. 13 is a side elevation showing one of the spindles through which the bottles are filled with wash water and by means of which the interiors of the bottles are cleaned; Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13, but representing the spindle in operation within the bottle; Fig. 15 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the spindle and illustrating the means for'connecting it with the water tank and the means for rotating the spindle; Fig. 16 is a vertical section through a sleeve in which the bearing is formed for the spindle; Fig. 17 is a vertical section through the upper end of a filling tube or spindle; and Fig. 18 is a vertical section through the lower end of the filling'tube or spindle and illustrating the manner in which the brush passes into the interior of the bottle.

Referring more particularly to the parts, and especially to Figs. 1 to 3, 1 represents the frame of the machine, which comprises a plurality of posts 2 arranged as shown, and these posts support a water tank 3 in the forward part of the frame, and a beverage tank 4 in the rear part of the frame. These tanks are of large capacity and are sup ported at the upper part of the frame, as indicated. The bottom 5'of the tank 3, is provided with a plurality of filling nipples 6 which are arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows. The construction of these filling nipples or tubes is clearly shown in Fig. 15. Each filling tube is provided with a contracted mouth '7 at its lower end, and the enlarged part of the nipple near its mouth, is provided with screw threads 8 to enable a sleeve 9 to be attached thereto. This sleeve has a head 10 at its lower end with an opening 11 therethrough, and through the opening 11 a tubular spindle 12 passes downwardly. The tubular spindle has an enlargel collar or head 13 which fits in the bore of the sleeve 9. head 13 and the head 10, a raceway is formed to receive anti-friction balls 14. The upper side of the head 13 is provided with a counterbore 15 which receives the mouth or nozzle 7 of the nipple. Just below the head 10, the spindle 12 is provided with a gear wheel 16. The transverse rows of spindles are arranged with these gear wheels in mesh, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, so that when one of them at the front is rotated, all of them will be rotated in unison.

As indicated in Fig. 1, I provide a longitudinally disposed driving shaft 17 on the forward side of the frame, and this driving Between the shafts.

shaft carries a belt pulley 18, by means of which the shaft can be continuously driven when the bottles are being washed. Opposite to each transyerse row of spindles, the shaft 17 is provided with a .bevel pinion 19, and each of these bevel pinions 19 meshes with a similar bevel pinion 20 carried by a vertical countershaft 21. This vertical countershaft has a gear wheel 22 which meshes with the outermost of the gear wheels 16 of each transverse row. From this arrangement it should be understood that when the shaft 17 rotates, all of the spindles will be rotated in unison. On theunder side of the beverage tank 4, a plurality of filling tubes 23 are provided. These are simply tapered tubes which extend downwardly; they are arranged in transverse and longitudinal rows in the same manner as the filling nipples 6. V The outer side faces of the posts 2 are provided with guides 24, as indicated in Fig. 2. These guides are for the purpose of guiding lifting frames 25 and 26 in a vertical direction. The construction of these lifting frames is clearly shown in Fig. 5. Each lifting frame has an end bar 27 provided with tongues 28 at its extremities, and these ton ues run in the guides 24, as will be readily understood. The bodies of the lifting frames are formed of longitudinally dis posed slats 29 connected to headers or header bars 30. Between the slats 29 friction rollers 31 are mounted, and on these rollers a bottle tray 32 is mounted to slide, and this tray is arranged to carry the bottles 33, as shown. The sides of the tray 32 are formed with cleats or tongues 34,v which tongues run in grooves 35 formed in the headers, as indicated in Fig. 6. The headers are provided at each end of the machine with udgeons or trunnions 36 which are rotatably mounted in the bars 27, as indicated in Fig. 5. To the outer sides of the end bars 27, rack plates 37 are attached, and these rack plates have downwardly extending racks 38 with rack teeth 39 on their forward edges, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

At the left end of the machine, as indicated in Fig. 8, a crank 40 is provided, which crank is attached to a lifting shaft 41 which extends longitudinally from one end of the frame to the other. A shaft 42 is provided, similar to the shaft 41, and opposite to it. These shafts 41 and 42 have rigid gear wheels 43 and 44, respectively, which mesh with the teeth 39 of the racks so as .to

. raise the frames 25 and 26 when the cranks are rotated. In order to transmit rotation from the shaft 41 to the shaft 42, an idle gear 45 is mounted between them, as shown in Fig. 8, meshing with two pinions 46 and 47, which are rigidly received on the two In order to enable the lifting frames to beheld in an elevated position, .the shafts 41' are provided with ratchet wheels 48, re-

-the bottle holder from above.

and the mechanism carried thereby, are supported on suitable horizontal frame bars 50, as indicated 1n Figs. 2 and 3. In the lower part of the frame, drain tanks or sinks 51 are provided which catch the drippings and lea d them off through suitable drain pipes 52.

Returning to the bottle tray 32 for holding the bottles 33, as indicated in Fig. 4 the bottom of this tray is provided with a plurality of bottle holders 53. These bottle holders are arranged in rows so that they can come directly under the filling nipples 6. The details of the construction of the bottle holders are clearly shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Each holder comprises an upright frame made of vertically disposed frame bars 54, the upper ends of which converge so as to form a skeleton neck 55 for retaining the neck of the bottle. To the upper ends of these bars 54 at the skeleton neck, a split ring or yoke 56 is formed, to which the ends of the vertical bars 54 attach. At the opening 57 in this split ring, outwardly bent lips 58 are provided, which assist in guiding the neck of the bottle into the yoke. The vertical bars 54 are arranged on three sides of the bottle, and on the forward side a short bar 59 is provided which terminates at the point 60. The upper end of this short bar 59 is con nected by springs 60 61 with the adjacent side bars 54. The lower ends of the bars 54 and 59 are attached to a base ring 62. Near the yoke 56 and at the skeleton neck 55, the bars 54 are all connected by semicircular hoops 63 and 64. It should be understood that the bar 59 is resilient and if it is pulled outwardly the springs 60, 61, will be extended so as to permit the bottom of the bottle to be introduced into the lower part of As soon as the bot-tom of the bottle seats in the base ring'62 the bottle will be pushed rearwardly so that its neck will pass into the yoke 56 through the opening 57. The bar 59 will then be re leased and will be pulled back into position by the springs 60 61. It will be evident that the bar 59 will press the outer side of the bottle and will keep it from coming out of the holder. g

The bottoms of the tanks are constructed as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. Each bottom is formed of an upper plate 65 and a lower plate 66. The upper plate 65 is provided with a plurality of outlet openings 67, and these are directly above the upper extremities of. the filling tubes 23 or the filling nipples 6. These openings 67 are arranged in transverse rows, and under each transverse row, a multiple plug cook 68 is provided, which is in the form of a rotatable tube held between the plates 65 and 66. These plug cocks have openings 69 disposed diametrically opposite to each other, which may aline with the outlets 67 so as to permit the contents of the tank to flow through the nipple 6. These plug cocks 68 can all be operated in unison, for which purpose their extremities are provided with arms 70, as indicated in Fig. 1. Each arm is provided with a longitudinal slot 71. These arms are all connected by side rods 72 which have pins 73 running in the slots 71, as will be readily understood. The arms 7 0 and which are at the ends, as indicated in Fig. 1, are provided with bolts 741 which look the side bars in the slots though permitting them to rotate. To one extremity of each side bar, a valve lever 75 is attached. This valve lever has a slot 76 which receives a pin 77 on the side rod so that when the lever is moved, all of the arms 70 will be moved in unison. In this way all the valves can be opened. This construction is duplicated at the back-of the machine for operating the valves of the beverage tank t, which are similarly constructed and arranged.

Referring to the bottle tray 32; at its rear edge and at the ends, I provide spring clips 78 and these spring clips are adapted to snap over the rear bar 79 of the lifting frame 26, when the tray is forced rearwardly, as will be described hereinafter. At the forward edge of the bottle tray, a longitudinally disposed locking shaft 80 is provided, and this locking shaft has a plurality of locking fingers 81 which are adapted to swing down and engage the inner side of the forward bar 82. These fingers afford means for holding the bottle tray in position when the forward lifting frame is being tilted, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, to invert the bottles to enable them to drain after being washed. As indicated in Fig. 5, at one end this shaft 80 is provided with a handle or integral lever 83, and this lever is adapted to be held by a spring clip 84' when fingers are in their locking position. The spring clips 8% are attached to the upper face of the header 30, as shown.

On the lower end of each spindle 12, a cap 85 is attached in the form of an open yoke, through which the water may descend to the interior of the bottle. This cap is provided with a threaded nipple 86, on which the head 87 of a brush 88 may be attached. The upper portion of the cap 85 is formed into a ring 89 disposed around the outer side of the tube, and this ring supports a guide tube or brush sleeve 90, the lower end of which envelops the lower end of the tubular spindle 12. This sleeve 90 is mounted loosely on the tubular spindle 12 so that it may slide up upon the same, and it is provided with an internal shoulder 91 which seats on the ring 89 to support the sleeve, as will be readily understood. The lower end of the sleeve 90 is expanded so as to form a cap or mouth 92 which seats on the mouth of the bottle, as indicated in Fig. 18.

The mode of operation of the machine will. now be described: The bottles 33 are placed in the holders, as indicated in Fig. 3. The tray is then moved to its mostforward position in the lifting frame 25. By means of the foremost of the cranks 10, the lifting frame 25 is raised so as to bring the bottles up to the spindles 12. As the bottles reach the spindles, the mouths of the bottles engage the caps 92 and raise the caps on the spindles, at the same time the bottles move up around the brushes 88 so that the brushes in rotating, will brush the interior of the bottle, reaching the bottoms thereof as indicated in Fig. 141. IVhen the brushes are in the bottles as shown, the water is turned on from the water tank 3. IVhen the bottles are sufficiently washed, the lifting frame 25 is permitted to descend and the water is turned off. When the frame 25 is in a low position, as indicated in Fig. 2, the latch 30 on the side bar 27, as shown in Fig. 5, is re-' leased from its keeper 30* on the frame. This permits the frame to rotate on the trunnions 36, but before the frame is rotated the locking fingers 81 are swung down so as to lock the tray in position. The frame with the tray is then completely turned over so as to permit the bottles to drain into the sink 51. After the bottles have been per mitted to drain, the frame is returned to its normal position, and the frame is brought into alinement with the rear frame 26. The tray carrying the bottles is then moved rearwardly, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that it passes from the forward frame 25 into the rear frame 26. In this connection it should be understood that the grooves of the forward frame are in alinement with the corresponding grooves of the rear frame. lVhen the tray is moved to its extreme rear position, the spring catches 78 snap over the rear bar 79 of the frame 26, and latch the tray securely in position. The frame 26 is then raised by means of its crank until the necks of the bottles 33 receive the filling tubes 23. The beverage in the tank 4: is then turned on by means of the lever 7 5 which is at the rear of the machine, and when the bottles are filled the frame 26 is permitted to descend, and the bottles can be removed for corking.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

1. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a water tank, a plurality of filling nipples leading therefrom arranged in transverse rows, a lifting frame,

means for lifting said lifting frame, a bottle tray movably mounted on said lifting frame, a plurality of bottle holders mounted on said tray and adapted to aline with said filling nipples, and means for tilting said lifting frame to drain the bottles.

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a water tank, a plurality of filling nipples leading from said tank, a lifting frame guided on said frame, a tray movably mounted on said lifting frame, a plurality of bottle holders mounted on said tray and adapted to aline with said filling nipples, means for raising said lifting frame, and a plurality of spindles carried below said nipples and having brushes adapted to enter the bottles held in said bottle holders.

3. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a water tank, a plu' rality of fillin nipples leading from said tank, a lifting rame guided on said frame, a tray movably mounted on said lifting frame, a plurality of bottle holders mounted on said tray and adapted to aline with said filling nipples, means for raising said lifting frame, a plurality of spindles carried below said nipples and having brushes adapted to enter the bottles held in said bottle holders, and means for rotating said spindles to revolve said brushes within the bottles.

4. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a water tank, a plurality of filling nipples leading from said tank, a lifting frame guided on said frame, a tray movably mounted on said lifting frame, a plurality of bottle holders mounted on said tray and adapted to aline with said filling nipples, means for raising said lifting frame, a plurality of spindles carried below said nipples and having brushes adapted to enter the bottles held in said bottle holders, means for rotating said spindles to revolve said brushes within the bottles, and multiple valves controlling the flow of water from said tank through said nipples.

5. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a water tank supported in said frame in an elevated position, a plurality of filling nipples mounted in the bottom of said tank, a plurality of tubular spindles attached to said. filling nipples and adapted to conduct the wash water from said tank to the bottles, means for rotating said spindles in unison, brushes carried by said spindles and adapted to enter the bottles, brush sleeves mounted on said spindles and normally concealing the brushes, said brush sleeves having expanded caps at the lower extremities adapted to seat on the mouths of the bottles, a tray below said tank having a plurality of bottle holders adapted to present the bottles to said spindles, and means for raising said tray.

6. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a water tank mounted iii the upper part thereof, a plurality of spindles mounted under said'water tank, a

lifting frame guided on said first frame, means for mounting a plurality of bottles on said lifting frame in alinement with said spindles, and means for lifting said frame to present the bottles to said spindles, said frame having trunnions for swinging the same into an inverted position to drain the bottles.

7. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a water tank mounted in an elevated position in said frame, a plurality of tubular spindles mounted below said tank, a lifting frame having end bars guided on said first frame, means for raising said lifting frame, said lifting frame having a trunnion for reversing said frame to drain the bottles, a tray mounted in'said lifting frame, a plurality of bottle holders mounted in said tray, and means for holding said tray fixed when said lifting frame is reversed to drain the bottles.

8. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a water tank mounted in the upper part thereof and having a plurality of filling nipples therebelow, a lifting frame having end bars guided in said first frame, racks attached to said end bars, gear wheels cooperating with said racks to raise said lifting frame, said lifting frame having trunnions in the ends thereof rotatably mounted in said end bars, a bottle tray mounted to slide in said frame, a plurality of bottle holders mounted in said tray, and means for locking said tray to said lifting frame to hold said tray when said lifting frame is reversed.

9. In a machine of the class described, a bottle holder consisting of an upright frame having a resilient yoke at the upper portion thereof extending circumferentially about the bottle neck adapted to clasp the bottle neck, said frame being adapted to receive the bottle from the forward side, and means attached to said frame for forcing the bottle backwardly to retain the same in said frame and in said yoke.

10. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a bottle holder presenting a frame formed of bars having an elevated split ring forming a yoke adapted to receive the bottle neck and having an upwardly extending bar attached to its lower extremity and adapted to swing outwardly to admit the bottle, and springs attached to said last bar and adapted to retain the bottle in said frame.

11. In a machine of the class described, a filling nipple having a reduced mouth, a tubular spindle engaging said reduced mouth and having an enlarged collar, a sleeve having a head with an opening through which said tubular spindle passes supporting said collar and having a threaded engagement with said filling nipple to retain said tubular spindle, a brush and means attached to said tubular spindle for rotating the same.

12. In a machine of the class described, a bottle holder having a base ring, a plurality of vertically disposed bars attached to said base ring and forming a skeleton frame on the rear side of said bottle holder, substantially semicircular hoops connecting said bars at intermediate points on the length thereof, a split ring forming a yoke connecting the upper ends of said bars and adapted to receive the bottle neck, and resilient means on said frame for retaining the bottle Within the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

RONALD J. PFEIFEB.

lVitnesses FRED HUBBERT, HENRY HUTH. 

